Always Less Nevermore
by Daze Me
Summary: A murderer and a child. Red-Eyed Xaxa was both of these things. One however, was a recent discovery after being placed in a death game. When the death game was completed and everyone was released, what happens when an unexpected turn comes upon our unfortunate Laughing Coffin member?


**A/N This is my first written work that I've posted. It's about my favourite SAO character Red-Eyed Xaxa going into the world of RWBY and trying to fit in with his quirks. Comments, feedback, and criticism are definitely appreciated but not entirely necessary to enjoy the story. Now, without further adieu, welcome to Always Less, Nevermore.**

Chapter 1 - Staring Back Into The Red Eyes

His real name was unimportant. He went by the infamous title of Red-Eyed Xaxa now. Xaxa was a high level member of Laughing Coffin, a guild made up of those who became cold-blooded killers after being subjected to the virtual kidnapping of Sword Art Online. He was in this damn death game for nearly four years now. Slowly but surely, the front line assault groups have made there way to the 74th floor.

'Wonderful,' Xaxa thought bitterly, 'another step closer to 'freedom'.' He continued walking through the snowy canvas that engulfed floor 64. He was walking back to the teleport platform to take him back to his guild house. As he reached the dark mansion, he sat down on one of the chairs next to a table and began thinking. Xaxa wasn't like the others who were upholding the hope that one day they would be free. In here, he was free, able to do anything he wanted to those who had hurt him. Who had hurt him you ask? Why, the very race he currently holds part too; humanity.

As a child, Xaxa had come from a broken home, one of misery and disparity. His mother had started drinking after his father had walked out and turned to crime. She had later died of alcohol overdose. He still had nightmares of walking in after school only to find her cold dead corpse laying on the kitchen floor. And his younger brother who had admired him border lining obsession. He would want to do everything Xaxa did; he was his hero. Xaxa remembered fondly, him having to pick up the pieces as the eldest of their disfigured family. With him practically raising his younger sibling and balancing that with school, Xaxa barely had any time for himself. When he did, he found solace in video games.

When Sword Art Online came into creation, Xaxa had become ecstatic. He finally had something that he could throw himself into in an attempt to ignore the growing pain of reality. When Akihiko Kayaba, the games creator and designer, had announced that everyone in the game now had their lives at risk, he felt alive; something he hadn't felt in years.

Although he still had that hatred for humanity in him. He had seen first hand what humanity can do to someone. His father who had abandoned him and got imprisoned, his mother who had wasted away and killed herself with no regard towards her still growing children, and his brother who had needed to be raised despite Xaxa himself not been finished growing.

These thoughts began to boil down on him. His party who he was with at the time had been completely unaware of his growing anger and had continued fighting the virtual monsters in front of them.

They were currently on floor 3. This floor was home to jungle creatures. Like the monsters, the environment was covered in green trees, tall grass, and thick roots saturated from the humidity in the air. The jungle completely encompassed the entire floor. Many lone adventurers had traveled through the jungle in hopes of claiming the riches of Col and better upgraded gear for themselves instead of sharing it with party members however what usually happens is that the jungle claims them instead whether through its dangerous wildlife or through its various forms of venomous flora that disguises itself with other harmless plants.

Not only that, but the journey through the trove leads to dehydration and exhaustion if one is not careful. That is why Xaxa who usually goes alone had grouped up with four fellow players in a major city back on floor 2. They had decided to split the earnings equally and get through the jungle fast. The party is currently battling a pack of Jaguars; one of the many indigenous species making its home in this habitat.

One of the group, a charismatic man in light chainmail going by the name of Kaint, got thrown back by a heavy attack from the creature he had been fighting.

"Ahh!" Kaint yelled in pain at his new injury. He marvelled at his lowered health bar which had just begun to reach the red as he gathered himself and went searching in his inventory. "It's fine guys, I'll just take a health potion in a second!"

The group continued fighting as the battle finally started coming to a stop. Xaxa, who had been idle for most of the conflict, had a look of absolute disgust hidden under his black face mask. In his rage at his own race and his problems, he had walked slowly towards Kaint. Sword in hand, he stabbed Kaint in the back. He couldn't take it any more! These filth hadn't ever felt pain! Why should they be able to just heal any wound they come across!

His face turned into a twisted smile as the young man burst into small blue particles. The horrified stares that were coming from the other three was glorious!

"Yes!" Xaxa screamed, "Feel my disgust! Look me in the eyes and know that I had killed a man! This is humanity, only hate." Xaxa then proceeded to do to the rest as he had done to Kaint; stab them in the back in a more metaphorical sense instead of physical this time.

The only remnants of this gruesome act were tiny blue pixels made by the game developers to simulate death. Footsteps could be heard as the lone figure slowly walked down the path he had come from with the only evidence that he had done this coming in the form of a small red icon floating above his head; a token representing his bloody deed he had performed.

As years had passed, Xaxa had found a place where he could fit in, a place where everyone had similar interests. Laughing Coffin, a name to be feared throughout Aincrad. No one dared confront someone holding the guilds' insignia, one of a black coffin with a mouth waving and laughing.

"Xaxa, stop brooding and get over here! Have a meal! You look like you could use one!" A young man with a paper bag looking mask over his head had said across the room. Johnny Black was his name. Laughter filled the large area as he had smiled. Yes, here he belonged. Although they were murderers and criminals they were like a family to each other. They had faced similar hardships throughout their lives and had followed paths almost the same as one another. Whereas their guild crest represented fear and death to the outside virtual world, to those who held it, the crest meant family, security, and kinship. One persons problems were the guilds problems.

The Red-Eyed player-killer reached up and removed his skull mask to eat. He felt as though change was coming soon. For better or for worse, he would weather this change with his family.

The night had ended with him dragging himself to his room. He'd laid his shiny black katana on his bedside table and took off his frightening equipment. One of the perks of being in a murder guild was that no one had cared what gear he had taken to wearing. He then slowly closed his red eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

Timeskip Two Weeks

Xaxa read his copy of Weekly Argo detailing that the assault team would be challenging the 75th floor boss today. The quarter bosses as some of the players had taken to calling them, had always been more difficult to beat than its' predecessors.

'Oh well." Thought our favourite katana user, 'It's not my problem.' He was the one sitting on this lovely mahogany bench enjoying his day off and not risking his life for the betterment of a race he despises.

All of a sudden, the ground started shaking, a strange noise went off across Aincrad, a female synthetic voice had detailed the end of the game.

Xaxa's red eyes had widened. The end of the game?! This wasn't supposed to happen! He didn't want to go back. He had the life he had wanted here with him, true family that could understand him, and a reputation that he had chose himself. This couldn't end. Not now!

As our protagonist thought frantically he had begun degrading into dark red pixels.

"No! Please no!" He yelled, but to no avail. The pixels kept coming. "I don't want to go back! I won't go back!"

In his disoriented state, he didn't notice his red pixels were different from the other blue pixels the surrounding players were disintegrating into. The particles surely reached his head, fully engulfing his entire body as he screamed in fear. And suddenly, poof! Every single player of Sword Art Online had been thrust back into the reality they haven't been apart of for a long four years. One player however, was in a reality in which he had previously never been to. One which was similar yet so much more different.

Xaxa had floated in a blank space full of a deep black void. The only other thing there with him was a reflection. His reflection. He stared at his glowing red eyes complete without any emotion. He looked at his skull mask and thought back to the game. Finally, he glanced at his guild tattoo barely visible on the length of his forearm and thought back to his family. The one he had built in the dark corners of SAO. Xaxa closed his eyes.

Suddenly. He had the feeling of being weightless. Wind was passing through his clothes when he had fallen on a rough surface. Xaxa opened his eyes and found what he could only call as hilarious. Bright red eyes stared into his own. Xaxa looked on with mirth as what appeared to be black werewolves surrounded him. The pack of unknown creatures growled at him aggressively as he laughed raucously. The snarls and bites stopped as the laughter turned even more insane. He stopped.

"I don't know where I am or what your are but you dare steal my eyes?! My eyes have seen the horrors of life while yours have not." He spat, "As I look into each of your eyes, I see that you have not seen the blood necessary to hold red eyes."

He put his hand on the hilt of his katana. In what seemed like one fluid motion all of the eyes of the twenty odd beowolves were slashed out mercilessly as the pack had screamed in agony. Most had fallen dead on the spot although the few who survived were slowly dying.

A howl chilled the air as a much larger wolf covered in bone-white armour barrelled into the clearing towards the young man. Xaxa quickly dodged and slashed the beowolf's uncovered neck slicing straight through.

Xaxa flourished his weapon of choice before putting it back into his scabbard.

"Time to find out where the hell I am." His red eyes glowed furiously through the tall forest greeting him.

Glynda Goodwitch was a Huntress of the kingdom of Vale. Vale was one of the kingdoms situated in the world of remnant, safe havens from the Grimm which each had trained Huntsmen and Huntresses to fight back against the soulless beasts. As such, Glynda has seen much in her years as a huntress but nothing as strange as this.

As she had woken up, she had performed her morning ritual. She had done everything she could to prepare herself for the oncoming students who are due to arrive in a weeks time via aircraft. Glynda walked down towards her office in no rush, just enjoying the beautiful summer air. As she reached her door she sipped her coffee. While she was not a heavy coffee drinker she enjoyed a cup once in a blue moon but mostly would stick to her regular tea.

She laid down her riding crop which also duelled as a focusing wand for her aura on her large desk. Glynda softly sat down in her big comfy leather chair imported specially from Haven just for her. All was well with the morning. Nothing could possibly go wrong. How right and wrong she was.

Howling filled her ears as she recognized the sounds. A pack of beowolves from the Emerald Forest had found there prey and quite loudly too. Such a thing to disturb her peace and quiet. Although difficult and having to strain her ears, she could faintly hear small bits of yelling mixed in between the howls. She sighed as she went to check out what was making such a fine morning spoiled.

As she reached her destination in a matter of seconds via launch pad and aura being charged into her muscles to enhance her speed, she decided to hide in the canopy in one of the nearby trees to get a visual of what might be happening. What she saw was stunning.

A young man who looked to be in his late teens could be seen wearing one of the most bizarre yet scary outfits she has ever laid eyes on. He wore a long dark cloak which covered most of his body, a hood hanging down from the top of his head, a skull mask with the most breathtaking red eyes, jet-black pants and black bandages which covered most of his arms excluding one part which depicted a tattoo a cartoon-coffin with a mouth laughing. He was also wielding the most deadly katana she has ever seen. She could tell it was well kept just from looking at it.

Glynda watched as he moved in a blur, slaughtering the Grimm surrounding him from her vantage point. The display was expertly done. Another couple seconds have passed when another louder, more aggressive howl could be heard. Something big could be seen cascading its way through the trees, heading for the unique-looking man who just glanced at it.

The bone-white armour of an elder Grimm would be terrifying to any civilian or even rookie Hunters who haven't dealt with one before. It's thick armour plating defended against any attacks to the pack leader's vital organs. The terrifying approach of this monstrous creature would be enough to send any rookie Hunter team into a panic. This man however did nothing other than dodge the thunderous attempt at murder and sent his own. His attack resembled more on the flash side of thunder though, as he slashed the Grimm's unprotected neck, which was required for proper movement, cleanly decapitating the head from the rest of the body which then fell like a rag-doll.

Glynda was about to step in before he had killed it but decided to wait as he seem unconcerned with the event. Her choice in waiting had made her eyes widen slightly as she examined the freshly deceased corpse in front of her that was dissolving quickly.

The man's gaze travelled into the trees as she moved quickly to gather a camera that Beacon had situated in the forest as reference. Glynda moved towards the man who was walking unafraid into the Emerald Forest which held many dangerous Grimm.

"Hey!" Glynda exclaimed, "What are you doing here? This is private property owned by Beacon Academy and by extension the kingdom of Vale."

The man in the skull mask turned, "Who are you?" he asked.

"Who am I? I work here as a professor. My name is Glynda Goodwitch. Now, tell me why you have trespassed into private, and not to mention dangerous, property."

The man paused, "I have yet to find out why I am here or where here is. I seem to have come across an unlikely circumstance where I am unable to answer most of your questions." he replied calmly, "You say that you work here. Would it be possible for you to take me to your boss, perhaps?"

Glynda weighed the pros and cons. On one hand, there was a skilled warrior who might be a threat if she took him to Beacon. On the other hand, he was skilled no doubt and eligible to try out for Beacon. She decided to bring him in front of Ozpin with the recording she had taken and see what he had to make of this.

In the end, she replied, "That term is acceptable. I will take you to Professor Ozpin who will decide what to do with you. He is the headmaster of the school you are currently in."

They walked back to Beacon using several different paths. Once they had arrived to the cliffside, they had climbed it easily enough. As they finally reached the top they had taken a slight break and then continued towards Ozpin's office. They had gotten to the office with no problem and knocked on the door.

"Come in." They had heard coming from the other side of the tall door in front of the duo. They walked in to see a young grey-haired man sitting in a relaxed position on a grand looking chair sipping from a mug that smelled faintly of fresh coffee. He smiled when he saw the two walk in.

"Ah, Glynda. What is it you require of me this early in the morning. I am only on my second coffee. I presume it is with this unique looking fellow who stands next to you?" Ozpin inquired.

"Yes," Glynda replied, "this young man has caused quite the disturbance this morning in the Emerald Forest."

The aura-using witch had retold their tale to the headmaster who sat contemplating. She had shown the video of Xaxa destroying the Beowolf pack and pack leader easily.

"Hmm, an interesting day indeed. Well, let's start off with names, shall we? Mine as you may already know is Ozpin, headmaster of this school." He said, "Hello."

Xaxa looked through his mask and replied, "I am called Red-Eyed Xaxa."

A questioning look filtered through the two professors faces eventually cycling to confusion.

Ozpin spoke up once more, "What an interesting name. You sound and look relatively young. Pray tell, where are your parents if I might ask?"

"Dead and imprisoned." Was the response that Xaxa gave.

"Well then, I can clearly see you are skilled. Have you any thought of what you want to become?" Ozpin asked.

"I have never had the time to think about that. It's always been one thing after another." Xaxa said.

Ozpin then gave the offer, "Well if you have no ambition you would just be a waste of talent. You could come and join my school. We would provide residence, food and water, all the basic needs and such. You would also have the opportunity to learn and improve your skills and test yourself against your peers." Ozpin finished.

Xaxa thought about the deal. In reality, it was very beneficial for him. He was however, sceptical about what Ozpin got out of the deal. So he asked.

"What do you get out of the deal, Ozpin?"

"I get a student to teach, an upcoming and budding huntsman, and the knowledge that I am bettering not only one persons life but the world as a whole." Ozpin replied.

"I accept."

"Good. You will stay here in a guest room for the duration of the week until all hopefuls arrive and then you will participate during initiation which every student must to pass in order to become a student here at Beacon. After your team has been selected after initiation, you will move any belongings you might have into the team dorm and live with them. Any questions?"

The question answered in a negative. In reality, our favourite Red-Eyed Xaxa was questioning himself on whether or not he could fit in with the students at this combat school. 'It seems different than schools on Earth if I'm even there anymore. I feel like this would be the only school I might have a chance at fitting in at after Sword Art Online anyways.'

From what Xaxa had heard, most of these trainees were green and had never felt pain before. Never felt loss or agony. Can a monster like him be so different from the monsters they fight? Though he was a murderer in Sword Art Online, he wasn't in SAO anymore. This was real life with real consequences.

'Oh well,' Xaxa thought, 'I'll figure out what I'll do later. Right now, I should head to the guest room to get set up.'

A Week Later

A massive aircraft took up the sky. Many onlookers marvelled at the technological feature. They knew that this was the plane taking hopefuls to Beacon Academy, the prestigious Hunter school. One such onlooker was watching from Beacon. His skull mask and hood protecting his face from the overbearing sun.

The people gathered on the aircraft were all amazed at the castle in front of them. This was where they were going to live and learn for the next four years. One such student wearing a black bow used her advanced sight to located a strange looking man on the Beacon platform watching the large oversized plane go overhead. She flickered her eyes back to the castle dismissing the man from her thoughts. After all, she had more important things to worry about.

Two lively sisters, looking more like polar opposites, were loudly talking as they admired the view. After an exciting scene of events involving a blond haired boy, vomit, and some shoes, the aircraft had finally begun its descent onto the Beacon platform.

The Hunter applicants quickly got off the plane once it had landed. Colourful people were in every direction. Weapons were shown about, talking was loud, and people were excited as they walked to the auditorium. One man stood to the side hidden under a hood watching all of this interaction. All that could be seen from those who had looked were two glowing blood red eyes they could feel searching their very souls.

* * *

The slightly broken cobblestone paved pathway that leaded around Beacon was stepped on by multiple legendary figures who have made their name known by the majority of the common folk. This school taught the future protectors of the world but as Xaxa looked ahead that wasn't what he had seen. Teenagers who haven't seen death. People who haven't experienced the blood of a fellow human on their hands, having to live with what they've done. Now, with these thoughts, people might begin to think that Xaxa regretted what he did back in SAO. Not at all, he just envies the innocence these children hold.

He continued to think as he walked down to the ballroom the other students were currently setting up in. Ozpin had thought it best to allow Xaxa to get used to the people who would be watching his back on his battlefield as well as make some friends his age. Xaxa grumbled behind his mask at that, the sounds slightly muffled as he attempted to maneuver his way through the sea of bodies and vacant sleeping bags gathered on the floor. He had all of his belongings, what little he had, with him in a small bag and a sleeping bag that the school had luckily provided.

Xaxa had finally found himself situated next to a dark corner. He had laid down his borrowed sleeping bag up against the two intersecting walls. A few confused glances were thrown his way at what he had wore, his skull mask and dark hooded robe, but no one really cared long enough to ask about his chosen apparel. He sat there observing the types of people surrounding him. 'Party girl,' he thought, 'unsociable, bully, fool, rich and pompous.' He continued this activity until his eyes had caught a dim candle light a few metres away from him. He glanced over and saw stunning amber eyes reading a thick book with a black cover. She wore mostly black with white highlights and had a small bow tied on the top of her head making it look like she had cat ears.

Two of the people he had been observing earlier, both girls, staggered up to the girl in black. One of them was willing, however the other was being dragged by the former closely behind. The conversation was interesting to say the least although Xaxa would disagree with most of what the girl who was being dragged, now identified as Ruby, said. Blake, the one reading was trying to look uncaring towards what Ruby said in hopes of her being able to continue what she was doing but it was not to be. The two, yellow one forgotten at the moment, struck conversation and eventually found a common interest. A quick fight later and the candle was blown out.

Xaxa sat for about two hours until every student had fallen asleep. He stood up and slowly crept his way to the window, dodging any of the slumbering body parts strewn across the room. The window, when opened, let out a crisp, cool night air. He lept up to the roof and proceeded to watch the broken moon high up in the sky.

His thoughts had landed on Sword Art Online and his virtual family whom he had lived with for years. He wondered if they were thinking of him. "POH, Johnny Black, Zee," he listed off Laughing Coffin members remembering their stoic figures as he did so. "I wish you were here with me. What do I do, POH? This isn't something I can just fight my way through. What do I do?" Xaxa question at the broken moon. In Sword Art Online, POH, or Prince Of Hell, who had run the guild had coordinated the actions that they would take while still allowing them to have their own free will. He just gave guidelines, as POH would always say. No answer was received except for the light blowing of a cold wind. Xaxa sighed, he would just have to go with the flow then.

Suddenly, a Xaxa heard a footstep behind him. He jumped up, snatched his katana from his sheath, and held it up to the offenders throat. It was the girl in black, Blake her name was, who looked startled at his reaction. "What is it you want?" Xaxa asked coldly. "I saw you get up and go to the roof. I thought I'd see what was wrong." Blake responded. Xaxa's mind ran a mile a minute. What should he do with this new development? He sheathed his black death object and told her, "Nothing is wrong, just an old cut that was irritating me." he rubbed his left arm.

In truth, there was a cut, although he had gotten it during the climb up the cliffside a week back after a loose rock had fallen and made him lose his grip and cut his arm. It wasn't to deep but it would stay there for a couple more days. Blakes amber eyes glanced down at his covered arm.

"Why don't you just use your aura to heal it?" Blake asked curiously.

"Aura?" Was his reply. Might this be what he had seen Glynda using during the week he had stayed here? If so, he was interested in learning the subject.

"The manifestation of our souls. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Blake." She said.

"Red-Eyed Xaxa"

"That sounds more like a title than a name." She proceeded to sit down on the rooftop.

"It is my name." After seeing that she wasn't going to be a hero and try anything he sat down as well. "Could you show me how to utilize this aura?"

"Of course." The next few minutes involve her unlocking Xaxa's aura which was black, a strange and unusual colour, indeed. The cut closed up, Xaxa watching in fascination. His glowing red eyes widened slightly as he witnessed accelerated healing.

"What can this aura do besides heal me?" he asked, "Well, if you channel it into your muscles you are able to move faster than you normally would, hit harder, as well as withstand more damage." Blake explained, "Another thing is a semblance, something unique to only one person. With this semblance, you can overpower your foe faster than you could without it. Many use their semblance as something deeply engraved into their fighting style." she finished.

Needless to say, Xaxa was incredibly interested. "How does one achieve their semblance?" he asked. Blake then explained, "Most find theirs in a situation of stress or overexertion. Some find theirs through training. Those are some of the ways to unlock it."

The conversation pretty much ended shortly after that, nothing more happening other than small talk between the two usually silent warriors. The duo went back to their makeshift beds each with their head filled with more knowledge than they had earlier. The students needed their rest, after all, tomorrow was a big day, some more than others.

As Xaxa had fallen asleep, his Laughing Coffin tattoo on his right forearm glowed with the power of his midnight black aura.

 **A/N I sincerely hope that you've enjoyed this first chapter of this story. If you would like to see something happen or tell me something about how I write or any errors I might have made, please don't hesitate as it would help me immensely. Now, I guess I'll see you all in Chapter 2! :D**


End file.
